XN000022-1986-07-16 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED AT ALL TIMES THE IMPORTANCE AND COMPLEXITY OF THIS PROJECT. +AND SO BETWEEN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY IN 1980 AND THE FORMATION OF THE JOINT VENTURE IN 1985, WE SUBJECTED THE PROJECT TO A LONG DETAILED EXAMINATION TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE SAFETY, FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS.+

COMMENTING ON THE SUGGESTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD WITHDRAW ITS AGREEMENT TO THE PROJECT, HE SAID THIS WAS A BINDING COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO IN GOOD FAITH AND SIMPLY COULD NOT BE WITHDRAWN.

+ THE CREDIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT AND INDEED OF HONG KONG ITSELF WOULD BE SEVERELY DAMAGED WITH THE MOST SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IN SO FAR AS OUR COMMERCIAL AND EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE CONCERNED, + HE SAID.

HOWEVER, IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CONCERN, THE GOVERNMENT WAS TAKING ACTION.

+WE HAVE BEEN TAKING ACTIVE STEPS TO ENCOURAGE ALL THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT TO GIVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE REGARDING THE BUILDING AND OPERATION OF THE STATION.

+THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS IN CLOSE AND REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THROUGH THEM WITH THE FRENCH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS, ABOUT THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION LEADING TO REASSURANCE, HE SAID.

FURTHERMORE, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES WAS CURRENTLY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH VARIOUS AUTHORITIES.

ON THE PROVISION OF A CONTINGENCY PLAN, MR JACOBS SAID THAT IN MID-1985, LONG BEFORE CHERNOBYL, THE GOVERNMENT ENGAGED THE SERVICES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY AT HARWELL TO UNDERTAKE FIVE STUDIES COVERING THE BACKGROUND RADIATION MONITORING PROGRAMME, RISK ASSESSMENT, PUBLIC REACTION AND EDUCATION AND APPROPRIATE CONTINGENCY PLANNING.

+ IT IS ENVISAGED THAT ALL THE CONSULTANTS' STUDIES WILL BE COMPLETED BY MID-1987 AND THE INTENTION IS TO PUBLISH REPORTS FROM THE CONSULTANTS IN DUE COURSE,+ HE SAID.

AS ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS IN RELATION TO THIS PROJECT WERE UNLIKELY TO BE IN PLACE BEFORE OCTOBER THIS YEAR, MR JACOBS SAID THAT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS COULD COMPLETE THEIR VISITS AND CONSIDERATION OF THEIR FINDINGS WELL BEFORE THE RELEVANT DATE.

+ IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE SEEMS NO NEED TO SUGGEST THAT

THE SIGNING OF CONTRACTS BE DELAYED.+

REFERRING TO REMARKS BY SOME MEMBERS CONCERNING THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, MR JACOBS SAID IT WAS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PARTIES TO THE JOINT VENTURE ENVISAGED THAT GENERAL ELECTRIC SHOULD BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT.

/ALTHOUGH